Advertisement

What do we know about the Spain attacks terror cell?

Authorities in Spain say the terror cell behind two deadly attacks in the country has been "dismantled", despite an international manhunt remaining underway for the suspected driver of the van which plowed into pedestrians in Barcelona, killing 13 and injuring more than 120.

A 14th victim was killed in a separate attack in the seaside resort of Cambrils, after a vehicle was driven into pedestrians just hours later.

But what do we know about the 12-strong cell and their plans?

Tributes to the dead have been left on Las Ramblas. Credit: AP

Who was in the terror cell?

Police in Spain say they have identified all 12 members of the terror cell, yet they have not all been made public.

A manhunt remains ongoing for Younes Abouyaaqoub, a 22-year-old Moroccan, who is believed to have been the driver of the van which plowed into pedestrians on Las Ramblas.

Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Ziodo said another five members of the cell were shot dead by police after they rammed a car into a group of pedestrians in Cambrils, killing a woman and injuring six others in the early hours of Friday morning.

Moussa Oukabir, aged 17 or 18, Said Aallaa, 19, and Mohamed Hychami, 24, were among the five shot dead after launching the attack.

Footage of the assailants lying dead on the ground showed they had been wearing fake suicide belts.

Ana Maria Suarez, 61, was named as the woman killed in the attack by Spanish media. Her husband and sister were both reportedly injured.

Suspects Moussa Oukabir, Mohamed Hychami and Said Aallaa are believed to have been killed. Credit: ITV News

Mr Ziodo added that four others remain in custody.

The men, aged 21, 27, 28 and 34, were arrested in connection with the attack. Three are Moroccan and one Spanish.

Police said none of the four - a Spaniard and three Moroccans - were not previously known to them for terror-related reasons.

Moussa Oukabir's older brother, Driss Oukabir, is reported to be one of those detained.

Mr Ziodo continued that as many as two were killed in an explosion at a house in Alcanar, on Wednesday.

The ruins of the rented house in Alcanar. Credit: PA

Police believe the cell wanted to load the 120 gas canisters and explosive ingredients into three vans and then drive them into Barcelona to carry out a series of coordinated attacks.

However, something went wrong, resulting the apparent accidental explosion at the rented house, which may have prevented a far more deadly attack.

Following the Alcanar the explosion on Wednesday, the cell was forced to use more "rudimentary" vehicles instead, according to police.

Catalan regional police official Josep Lluis Trapero told reporters on Friday: "We think they were preparing at least one or more attacks in Barcelona.

"The explosion in Alcanar at least avoided some of the material they were counting on to carry out even bigger attacks than the ones that happened.

"Because of that the attack in Barcelona and the one in Cambrils were carried out in a bit more rudimentary way than the one they had initially planned."

The investigation is also focusing on a missing imam who police believe could have been killed by the explosion.

Abdelbaki Es Satty is suspected of radicalising the young men in the extremist cell, and on Saturday, police raided his home in Alcanar.

A manhunt is underway to find Younes Abouyaaqoub. Credit: ITV News

Do police know where Abouyaqqoub is?

Mr Trapero is said to have told a press conference there is no specific information to indicate the missing suspect's whereabouts, but some reports suggest he may have crossed the border into France on foot

He added that the hunt for Abouyaqqoub had been complicated because authorities have so far been unable to positively identify human remains at the house in Alcanar.

Meanwhile French media have reported that police in the country are looking for a white Kangoo van which is believed to have been rented by the suspects and could have crossed the border into France.

Mr Trapero said three vans had been rented using Abouyaqqoub's credit card, one of which was used in Thursday's Las Ramblas attack.

Another was found in Vic, 44 miles north of the city on the road to Ripoll, where all the main attack suspects lived.

The third was found in Ripoll itself, which is where the manhunt is concentrating, along with a nearby town of Manlleu.